Keep Smiling
by smeetie13
Summary: Even when things are going crazy for Chris Redfield, he finds comfort in a strange place: his new partner. Disclaimer: I do not own anything that belongs to Resident Evil or Capcom.
1. Chapter 1

Sitting in his new office was bittersweet. It was only sweet because the BSAA had recognized him for accomplishing something that was seemingly impossible. For eleven years a monster pretty much ruled all life on planet Earth, and if he chose, could end it. For eleven years Chris Redfield had tried to tell himself that there was a way that he could save the man he loved so much. The part that stung the most was knowing that Albert Wesker did it all for him and that even though that was the case, Chris had pulled the trigger on the rocket launcher that ended Wesker's reign of terror.

_"Oh, my Chris." Albert squeezed him tight under the blankets. He kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back, "Time heals all wounds, dear, do not fret."_

_ Chris cried into the chest of his lover, "I know. It's just hard." He took a deep breath and tried to calm down._

_ "Look at me, dear." Chris did as he was told and looked up into Albert's eyes, "You must not be sad. I may not have known your aunt, but if she is a Redfield then I am certain she would want you celebrate the life she had." Albert wiped a tear from the younger man's face._

_ Chris sighed and closed his eyes. He pulled Albert into him, "I love you." That was the first time the words had ever been spoken between the couple._

It was hard for Chris not to think about the man Wesker used to be, even though that was over ten years ago. The sound of a tear hitting the paper snapped him back to reality, but not before he let the rest of the memory play out.

_Albert gave a hum of happiness. Chris was the only one that could've deciphered the emotion behind every action the blonde had made, "And I love you." Chris pulled away to look at him. Albert's eyes were soft and he had a smile on his face._

Chris wiped his eyes and opened the small drawer on the left side of his desk. He kept a picture of the two of them with him. He took the picture the morning after. The two of them were lying together on the couch and Chris snuck the camera up as he got Albert to smile. Chris began to cry again when thought of the day the Tyrant killed the love of his life. "That's when we were over." He whispered to himself. And as much as it hurt, it was true. The virus took over Wesker's mind and memories and used them to hurt Chris.

There was a knock on the door and the soldier quickly composed himself, "Yeah?" The door opened and it turned out to be one out of the three people he could deal with: Jill.

She knew exactly what was wrong and not because she saw the picture in his hands, but because of the look in his eyes. "Come here." She opened her arms and stepped toward the man. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight, "I know you loved him. And I know he loved you. I never told you about it, but he really loved you. He came to me whenever you guys were in a fight or when he thought you guys were going to be over. He knew I knew about your relationship." She let go of him and pulled up a chair, "Wesk- uh, Albert brought the question of engagement up to me once."

There was a time when calling Chris's ex-boyfriend by his first name was alright, and as it turned out calling him Albert was reference to his time with Chris. Any time beyond that was what made everyone call him Wesker.

"What?" Chris couldn't help but smile. Thinking of such a serious man that was totally devoted to his work getting tied down almost made him laugh, "Seriously?"

Jill nodded her head, "Yeah, just once though. I told him to go for it."

"Well, thanks for that. Your really are a great friend." Chris gave his best friend and former partner a sad smile. Then Jill pulled something out of her vest. It was envelope. She held it out to Chris. "What is this?" He asked in fear. The paper was slightly yellowed so he knew whatever it was, was old.

He took it from her hand as the lock-pick opened her mouth, "It's something that I never wanted to give to you." She took Chris's free hand, "At one point when the P30 doses were small enough for me to know what was going on, but not break free from the control. Wesker taught me to administer his injections when Excella wasn't around." She squeezed his hand and looked up at him, "I figured out that the first injection actually shut off the effects of the virus. Chris, he told me to wait until the Progenitor Virus in his blood was so unstable that the second round _had_ to be given. While I waited, he wrote a letter to you." The brunette stood up, "If you need me I'll be in the gun-range, alright?" She gave the man a kiss on the cheek and left.

Knowing that it was something from Albert made it even harder to open. His fingers felt like they had turned to stone. The man who knew no fear was suddenly terrified by what could be written on this sheet of paper, but he indeed opened the envelope.

_My Chris,_

_I write to you because I am already gone. My hope was to develop a serum that could overcome the virus's hold on me, but I have failed. I have failed you my dear. Christopher, know that no matter what was said after the mansion incident was a lie. I was able to hear the virus speaking with my voice. I did love you. I still love you._

_But all good things must end my dear and if you are reading this letter, then my life has ended. My last order to Miss Valentine was to make sure you got this letter._

_My Chris, I wish that you do not mourn me for time heals all wounds, you know this best. My dear, I wish that you find love again with someone that will not leave your side. Be with someone better than I was. Be with someone who will let you explore all that life has to offer because you deserve it most._

_Finally my Christopher, I would like to thank you. Thank you for the love you showed me and for never giving up on trying to bring me back. I will always love you._

_ With all my heart,_

_ Albert_

_ p.s. Keep smiling._

The tears burned in the man's eyes as he read the words on the paper. He could not hold back any longer and broke down upon reading the post script. Albert always told him to keep smiling. Especially when things got tough around the office and he would have a bad day. Albert enjoyed seeing the man smile. The paper smelled of his cologne too. It was all too much. Chris folded the paper and returned it to the envelope.

He picked up what he needed and headed out the door. He didn't care who saw his tears, he just needed to be away, alone. He pushed the door open and walked out into the sunlight. It was the end of August and the sun still showed no sign of letting up. The Georgia sun hit Chris's face as kept walking toward the parking lot. 'I just need to make it home.' He thought to himself, 'I just need to make it home.'

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, just wanted to force upon you a new story. I was going to write a ChrisxWesker fic, but also wanted a ChrisxPiers story. So, I'm sort of mashing them together. Don't worry, the following chapter will be much longer from now on.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pushing the door open to his apartment, Chris toed off his shoes and stepped into the kitchen. He had managed to calm down on his way home. The man looked at the answering machine sitting a couple feet away from the sink. It sat on the counter nearest the door. He had managed to get an upper-scale apartment. His kitchen had black marble countertops and cherry wood cabinets with an island to match. Chris liked the darker colors because it could hide a mess better than white. It hid them well enough that if he spilled something he'd have to clean from corner to corner to make sure he got it all.

Jill would pick on Chris for still having a house phone, being that it was 2009 and most people had switched to cell phones by now. The landline served its purpose though; to keep certain people from calling his cell phone. There usually weren't messages on it, but this time there was one. He pushed play and listened.

"Hey Chris, I came back to your office and you weren't there, so I knew where you went. I'm sorry. If you need me I'm just a phone call away." Then the message was over. Chris thought to himself about how often Jill had been there for him. He was lucky to be able to call her his best friend.

The man went around to the other side of the kitchen, to the freezer. He opened the door and had to take a pick at what exactly he wanted. Getting shit-faced was something Chris had to plan because he knew which kind of alcohol did what to him. Vodka made him do stupid shit, tequila made him happy and whiskey made him guilty. Chris thought it to be a good idea to take the bottle of Southern Comfort from the door and crack it open.

Chris left the kitchen and went to the living room, which was only a bit larger than his kitchen. He emptied his pockets onto the coffee table: cell phone, wallet, keys and the letter. He glanced at the envelope, "I'm sorry." He spoke to it as if the blonde were actually there. He brought the bottle to his lips and began his drinking.  
It had been a while since Chris had drank and seeing that he had been awake since early that morning, he was trashed about two-thirds into the bottle. He had already started to cry. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I couldn't help you. That was all I ever wanted." He repeated the last sentence over and over to himself as he took another swig from the bottle. The alcohol's burn was the cleansing Chris needed. The soldier had never got the chance to grieve over Albert. Over ten years of emotion were finally being let go.

There was a knock at his door, "Its open!" He slurred out. He heard the door open but made no effort to see who had entered his home. He heard the footsteps coming toward him and looked up from the bottle in his hand. Jill was standing next to him.

"You alright?" Chris shook his head, "Come on, we are gonna get you cleaned up." She spoke to him in a stern voice, but it didn't hold a negative tone. She took the bottle from her friend and set it on the table. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. There was no protest besides the fact that gravity wanted Chris to stay on the couch. "Let's go, we are gonna get you in the shower and into bed." She hated to see Chris cry. Jill could deal with a lot, but seeing her friends cry was something that wasn't on the list. She tried to move the tank of a man as quickly and safely as she could from point A to point B, the bathroom, in one piece.

Since Chris lived in a fancy apartment, the bathroom was huge. It also connected to his bedroom. Chris had begun to mumble and say things and all Jill did was nod or shake her head depending on the tone of his voice, "Jill, you're not even listenin' are you?" The man spoke more clearly, "I'm tryin' to let it all out an' you gotta juss listen okay?"

"Alright, I'm sorry. What were you saying?" She asked him as she closed the lid to the toilet and sat him down.

He looked down to the floor, "He was the only man I have ever been with. I'm straight, except Albert was the love of my life. And now he's gone." Even though he thought he cried himself dry, more tears welled in his eyes. Although he wished he could stop, every time he regained some control, more memories flooded his mind, "One time when we were in a fight, I told him I never wanted to see him again and that all he did was destroy everything he touched." He wiped his face while Jill pulled his socks off, "He told me that he was sorry for what he did and walked out the door." The sobbing, drunk mess that was Chris buried his face in his hands, "I didn't mean anything bad I ever said. I hope he knew that."

"He did know." Jill said softly to him as she pulled a towel from the cabinet behind her. She threw it on the rack and returned to getting her partner in the shower. She tugged his shirt over his head and had to step back to get his arms out. "Alright, stand up." She commanded after the shirt was discarded. Jill always thought that crying as much as he was would've sobered him up, but she was wrong. She unbuckled his pants and tugged them down. She made sure his underwear stayed up though. No matter how close the two were, she had no desire to see Chris naked. She guided his feet out of the pant-legs so she could move them out of the way. She walked over to the shower and turned it on. When she felt the water running over her fingers was a suitable temperature, she walked Chris over to the shower, "I'll be right outside if you need me, but try not to because I don't want to see you naked."

Chris waited until he heard the click of the door before he shed his final piece of clothing and stepped into the shower. The water was hot against his skin and it burned. The man did nothing to change the temperature though. He just leaned his head under the stream. The scalding water ran down through his hair and down his face. The man could feel his skin turning red from the heat, but he didn't care. He knew that the needed this. He never lost sight of his drunken-mission: let it all out. As he began to scrub and clean himself, another memory invaded his mind.

"_I do believe taking a shower with you would only result in more sex." Albert's voice was smooth as ever and it only made Chris want to ask again. "But if that is what you desire, who am I to deny you?" He dropped his head to press his lips against his lover's._

_It was the softer moments like these that sent Chris reeling. It only fueled the fire when Albert would kiss him or touch him in a comforting, soothing way. The two silently made their way to the bathroom and quickly jumped in the shower. The shitty apartment Chris lived in had the worst draft and it was January. The water was almost as hot as it could go and steam filled the bathroom._

_Chris knew his boyfriend's body _felt_ amazing, but since he never got the chance to admire Albert, he wanted to _see_ how amazing it was. His eyes traced the other man's body. Albert's skin was smooth and nearly golden. He retained a light tan year-round. His strong legs and his waist that had the 'V'. His stomach was perfectly sculpted as well as his chest. His shoulders were broad and his arms were powerful. Albert's arms had kept him warm at night for almost six months. He loved how safe he felt whenever he was in his embrace. Chris looked up to his neck and finally up to the face that he enjoyed to see every day._

"_What are you doing?" The blonde had a puzzled looked on his face. It was very slight, but there._

_Chris couldn't help but smile, "I don't ever get the chance to enjoy you." _

"_Oh my Chris." Albert took the brunettes face in his hands and kissed him. There was no carnal desire, just a desire to be close to the other man. "Let's finish here so we can lie together for a while."_

Chris smiled to himself as he let the water rinse the rest of the soap from his body. At the beginning Albert was cold and not open about anything. At first it started out that they would just fuck, but then when Chris asked the blonde about a relationship, he had no objections. He hadn't truly seen his boyfriend laugh or even smile for about a month. Albert didn't even try anything boyfriend-ish until after their first fight. In the end, it didn't matter to Chris. He shut the water off and reached for the towel. He dried off and picked up where the story left off.

_They laid in bed together, quiet. Chris had taken to resting his head on the older man's chest while Albert snaked an arm around him. Chris drew imaginary lines all over the blonde's torso. Every once in a while the brunette would jokingly run a finger up to Albert's cheek. "It looks like I have chosen a crazy person to be in a relationship with," he teased the other. "Oh my Chris."_

_Chris couldn't help but get butterflies in his stomach when he heard Albert say that. He kissed the spot that lips already touched and closed his eyes._

The now clean soldier walked opened his bedroom door and walked over to his dresser. He pulled out a pair of shorts to wear to bed. He dressed himself and went out to see if Jill was still around. There was a note on the island in the kitchen, 'Sheva needed my help with some paperwork back at the office, if you need me call me.'

"Alright, well looks like it's time for bed." Chris tossed the note in the garbage and slowly made his way to the bedroom. On his nightstand sat a large glass of water. "She should do this for a living," He laughed to himself. As he arrived at his bedside he grabbed the cup and drank half of it in one breath. Jill had managed to grab the biggest cup the man owned. He glanced down to see what sat next to the cup: a picture. It was a picture of Albert and Chris together. It was Valentine's Day and Albert had showed up to Chris's apartment.

"_I do find this a rather strange holiday." Albert stepped into his boyfriend's apartment and closed the door behind him, "Shall we have a bit of fun now? Or after dinner? Hell, I could certainly have you twice. You do look especially attractive tonight." He gave Chris a devious smile._

_The brunette stepped up and pressed the older man against the door, "Well, I think," He pressed his lips to Albert's lightly, "you can do," he kissed him again, "whatever you want." Chris wanted tear the blonde's clothes off seeing what he wore. Albert wore a deep red button-up shirt and black denim pants. He left the top button open to tease Chris and it was working._

"_How I enjoy teasing you." Albert snickered as he slid his hands around the other's waist, "It seems as though all it takes is a simple glance and you are itching to have sex. My Chris, you are exciting and kind, both things make me want you even more." He pulled Chris into him tighter, "I do love you, you know."_

_Chris smiled and hugged him, "I love you too." He rested his head against Albert's shoulder, "Happy Valentine's Day." The blonde removed a hand from around his waist and Chris looked up to see his arm extended. A bright light invaded his vision and nearly blinded him._

"_Happy Valentine's Day."_

Chris couldn't help but smile when he remembered that night. Albert was actually smiling too and the fact that he took the picture made it better. He set the glass down and grabbed the photograph next to it. He laid down on his bed and just looked at it. He smiled. That was when he reached his goal- keep smiling. "Thank you." He said softly to blonde man in the photo before opening the drawer on his nightstand and closing the picture in with it.

That was the last night he would let himself cry for Albert.

_North American BSAA Headquarter- 2010…_

**Author's Note:** Next chapter will have Piers in it, I think. I'm working on making these chapters much longer and more in depth. I have no idea what's in store for this story so I guess I'm waiting to see what happens too. Thank you, and please let me know what you guys think!


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